A Matter of Time
by herondaleinstitute
Summary: "Who are you? Where have you come from?" Jace asked, a look of concern on his face, his eyes narrowed on the boy with the dark hair. He moved forward, passing the two others he had arrived with. "My name is William Herondale, but everyone calls me Will." He said.
1. Chapter 1

Tall buildings encased them down the roads of New York City. The sky was a clear blue, a few white clouds passing over head, and the sun shone through the windows of the carriage, showing flecks of dust that glittered different shades of blue.

Tessa peered out of the window, London had become her home, and to be back here filled her with bittersweet memories that filled her with a strange mix of happiness and guilt. She pushed the thoughts away looking to Will and Jem who sat across from her. Jem was happily looking out of the window too, looking like a young boy in a toy store at the city.

Will, on the other hand, looked very uncomfortable. He was looking at the floor with great intent, clutching some books resting on his lap. He flicked the pages with his thumb and forefinger.

"Is everything ok Will?" Jem asked, noticing Tessa's concern.

"Splendid."He replied, he looked at Tessa as she raised her eyebrows. "Are these buildings safe, they're so tall. Surely they have some sort of magic to keep them up."

"No, in fact that one there," Tessa pointed at a grey building, dull against the bright colours of the city. "I watched it being built; every day when my Aunt and I went to the store, it grew taller."

"Surely it's the work of a warlock" Jem shook his head, grinning at the trivial phobia of his parabatai. Tessa laughed.

"Anyway, we're not here for a little holiday. It's official clave business; we've been trusted by Charlotte to visit them and then leave, quick and easy."

"Yes William. You have declared your intentions several times this morning."

"Yes." He agreed, "Just making sure."

The carriage stopped abruptly outside a church, one which she had never noticed here before, it had a look of grandeur and a more mature look than the rest of the block. Its spires were tall and circled towards the sky, steps led up to a heavy door engraved with markings. The door clicked open and they stepped out of the carriage slowly, still slightly tired from the time difference and the long journey overseas. Jem held out his hand for Tessa, helping her down.

"It's beautiful." She said, Will mumbled something that sounded much like an insult under his breath. Jem led her forward and Will followed obediently.

Will over take them almost stumbling forward, starting at a run to the door, he ran up the steps all at once. Jem followed him, running as fast as he could with the lack of his drug that he had taken this morning.

"Will, what is it?"

"The door. It's open. That's against the law, something's not right."

Jem entered first as Tessa caught up with them, she stepped in after them, skidding slightly on the hem of her dress. The church inside was like any other church, pews lined the sides, an altar a red carpet running down the middle, that looked worn with age and had faded to a light crimson shade. Much like the colour of her dress.

But ahead was a swirling blue mist that shot sparks out towards them like a fire spitting at them. It swirled into a circle, like a portal she had seen conjured by Magnus long ago. But ten times the size.

"Will!" Jem pushed him out of the way as a spark shot at him, it scraped the corner of his jacket and he brushed himself of nonchalantly.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I have no idea." Jem said, looking around the rest of the room for other signs of anything.

She moved forwards toward it tentatively, running her hands along the pews as she walked, it made her feel safer. Something pulled her forward, compelling her to move closer. Like someone had tied a rope around her waist and was pulling her forward, she had no other choice but to go with it and move forward.

"TESS." Will shouted, "What in the angel's name are you doing?" He moved towards her slowly, as if he was scared of what she was doing.

"I-I" She stammered and let go of the pews. She placed her ankle into the blue first, there was no pain. Just a slight tingling sensation, as she was pulled forward and suddenly she pushed her whole body through. She shivered. Someone, either Will or Jem, grabbed her wrist tightly but she did not recoil and pulled them through as well. The blue engulfed them and they were back where they started and they were not alone.

**New York 2008**

Clary sat on a stool in the institute kitchen, her sketch book in front of her on the counter, the page covered in doodles and runes. She had been sat there for over an hour trying to draw something that was actually good whilst Isabelle made lunch. Jace came and sat next to her, planting a kiss on her cheek. She blushed.

"Iz, that's not how you cook pasta." Jace said, pointing a finger at the saucepan filled with uncooked pasta and no water. She had never intended on eating Isabelle's food, she was hoping she could escape before she served it. Usually her and Jace went off and kept themselves busy. She felt her face flush red now, Jace smirked at her.

"Alright smartass, you cook it." She said exasperatedly, stomping away from the stove.

"You know I don't cook, that's a wom-"

"If you say that it's a woman's job, I will murder you in your sleep."

"And I'll help." Clary added. "Why don't we just go to Taki's?"

"Yes let's go."

Clary packed her sketch book in her bag and grabbed her coat, which Church had been using as a blanket, the cat hissed and ran off down the hall. Jace hissed back.

"I'll ring Simon; tell him to meet us there." Isabelle said pulling out her phone, not before pouring the pasta in the bin.

Jace scoffed, "Really?"

"You have saved each other's lives on multiple occasions, and you still don't want to eat lunch with your girlfriend's best friend, what the hell do you want from him?" Clary asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"A good dress sense would be a start."

"I second that!" Isabelle added.

The three of them stood huddled together in the small elevator, Jace pressing ridiculously close to Clary, causing Isabelle to shake her head.

"You're almost as bad as Alec and Magnus." She said, opening the rickety door, that led out into the entrance, she struggled with the door and Jace huffed, pulling it open.

"No, we're not." Clary protested. The couple was a big fan of PDA, well Magnus was a fan of PDA, Alec not so much, she thought to herself as they stepped out of the tight space.

"Yes we are." Jace said. "Just without all of the glitter."

Clary laughed, wherever Magnus went, a trail of glitter followed, and usually behind that a self conscious Alec watching people's shocked faces as they watched the brightly dressed warlock pass by.

Jace grabbed Clary by the waist pulling her closer to him and Isabelle made a disgusted noise under her breath, she picked up her pace, walking ahead of them. She stopped. Jace and Clary bumped into her, Jace's hand on her forearm keeping her from falling over. She smiled at him gratefully, gaining a proud smirk in return.

It was Clary's turn to be shocked now. In the midst of the pews stood three people all dressed in old Victorian costumes or something similar. The girl, Clary recognised her from the battle, she had seen her talking to Magnus. She was the girl in the white dress with the cloud of brown hair. But now it was pulled back into a loose chignon and she looked slightly flustered, the ruffles of her dress crumpled.

The boy next to her was beautiful, someone she would like to draw, she thought, he had a shock of dark hair that curled slightly at the crook of his neck, he had deep blue eyes that looked at them with a look of scrutiny, and a full bottom lip that hung open in shock.

The other boy was the complete opposite, he had silver hair that caught the light and slightly slanted eyes that revealed his heritage, and he was all silver and light. Even his eyes matched.

"You're supposed to ring the summoning bell if you called for a meeting; the owners of the institute aren't here right now." Isabelle said, noticing the black runes that were drawn freshly onto the skin of the two boys, but the girl was free of the faded scars and black marks.

"You know your stuff." The boy with the dark hair said, nodding his head slightly, the girl hit him on the arm, scolding him. He laughed, it rung like chimes through the empty room.

"Pardon him, where are we exactly?" The other boy asked politely, looking over to the other two for help.

"The New Your Institute." Jace said, folding his arms in front of him, eyeing them up and down.

"Then we're at the right place," She paused, throwing a worried glance at the other two, "May I ask what the date is?"

"18th March 2008." Jace said frankly. A look of terror passed across the girls face and the boy with the silver hair, held her arm in comfort. She raised her hand to an unusual angel necklace that hung just below her collarbone. Clary noticed that the two boys spoke with British accents; she had always wanted to visit London, Jace as well, since that was where his ancestors came from.

"Quite a problem we have here." The dark haired one mumbled.

"Who are you?" Jace asked, "Where have you come from?"

"I'm James Carstairs." The silver-haired on said, he held out his hand for Jace to shake. "Everyone calls me Jem though."

He looked down at it quizzically, his eyebrows furrowed together. He shook it looking quite taken aback by the gesture. It seemed strange for Jace to shake anyone's hand; he usually just made a sarcastic remark and occasionally pats them on the arm if he was feeling affectionate.

He took Isabelle's hand and then Clary's, planting a kiss just behind their knuckles, Clary felt her face flush. Jace rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

"I'm Tessa Gray." The girl said, her accent familiar, "This, this is Will." She gestured towards Will, who was looking around the seats for something.

He looked at them, now, his striking blue eyes resting on Isabelle.

"William Herondale, lovely to have your acquaintance." He didn't make a welcoming gesture, but he nodded at them, his hair falling in his eyes.

Jace looked slightly awestruck, a look of shock across his face. He was related to Will, the thought passed through Clary's mind, the only other blood-relative he had met apart from Imogen.

His mouth was hung open, with all of his drama with the past this was not what he needed. He had let go of Clary's hand and ran it through his hair nervously. Isabelle stared at Jace and Will, her gaze passing back and forth, Clary did the same. She could not see the resemblance but so far their personalities seemed pretty similar. Their mannerisms too, they were so similar but so very different at the same time it made her head hurt. She grabbed Jace's hand again. He squeezed it tightly in return.

"I'm Isabelle Lightwood, my parents, Robert and Marsye own the institute, this is Clary Fair-"

"Fray. Clary Fray." She said cutting Isabelle off.

"It's nice to meet you all, but do you have any idea how we got here?" Tessa said eagerly, a warm smile on her face.

"Wait, Tess you forgot this one." He pointed at Jace.

"He is a person Will, not an object it wouldn't hurt to be polite occasionally." Jem said.

"You are?" Will asked him.

Jace had composed himself, a small smile crept at the corner of his mouth, he held out his hand for Will to shake. Clary's raised her eyebrows at him and Isabelle sighed loudly as if trying to tell him something.

"Jace Herondale, it's a pleasure."

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it, please let me know what you think :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Tessa watched the colour drain form Will's face, his smile fell and his eyebrows narrowed together. Jem let go of her arm and walked towards him, anxiously looking at Isabelle and the girl with the red hair, Clary, she had said her name was.

"You're funny. Shall we leave the carriage is still outside?" He said sarcastically pointing a finger at Jace, well, partially; she got the impression that he now thought this was all a practical joke. Jem placed a hand on his arm and pulled him backwards. She was inclined to think it was as well for a moment. But if they were in 2008, then it was highly likely that these people were descendants from Will and Jem. She wondered if Jem had any relatives here. Perhaps it was unlikely.

"Will, this isn't a trick." He said, a stern look on his face, Will shook his head his lips pressed in a thin line.

"Jem's right, I mean-"Tessa continued but she was cut off, rather impolitely, by the boy with the golden hair.

"Maybe he's right, I can't see the resemblance. Clary?" He stood next to Will and pulled his facial expression that matched his, a laugh escaped from Tessa's moth and Jem smiled at her, his silver eyes lighting up. Isabelle looked at her curiously and Clary smiled. Tessa got the impression that Isabelle was the one who liked the attention.

Will huffed, "No, we're not related and you are not funny. I was mistaken, I'm done." He spun on his heel away from Jace. "No relative of mine wears trousers like that." He gestured at the practically skin tight pants he was wearing, made out of a strange dark blue material, much like the blue of that portal like thing that had got them here.

"Trousers?" Jace questioned. "I swear I was wearing pants."

"You're definitely related." Clary said, nodding her head. A loud ring sounded throughout the room, Jem jumped and Will moved in front of Tessa swiftly, as if he was protecting her, but the chime sounded almost mechanical and empty. She shivered and pushed away some bad memories.

Will had hold of her wrist; she felt a flutter in her stomach. She pushed it away looking towards her fiancée. Isabelle pulled out a small device from the pocket of her rather revealing outfit.

"Sorry, it's Magnus. I should get this; he might know what's happened."

She swiped her finger along a brightly lit surface, exchanging greetings with a silent machine. Jem was baffled and Will stepped away from her now, walking towards Isabelle.

"Magnus Bane, the warlock?" Will asked, looking back at Tessa and Jem with a smile on his face. Tessa felt hopeful for a moment, Magnus was still alive all these years later, and he would know how to get them home. He was always there to help, especially Will, whom he had a soft spot for.

Isabelle nodded, still muttering to no one, Jem looked at her as well, his eyes passing between Will and Jace.

"They said they know you." She said, after a long pause she asked, "What year did you come from?"

"1879." Jem said, leaning on the side of the seats for strength. Tessa realised in this universe he didn't have his drug. A wave of horror passed through her, how long can he last? She thought smiling at him to reassure his worried glance.

"Their name's," She paused again, "James Carstairs, Tessa Gray was it?" Tessa nodded back at her, "and William Herondale." She continued, clearing her throat. She was very beautiful, Tessa noticed, her shock of dark hair and dark eyes rimmed with a thick line of makeup made her look intense and almost dreamlike. She looked more like someone she would read about, a heroine maybe.

She peeled the device away from her ear, Clary looking to her eagerly; Tessa had also noticed that she and Jace seemed to be very much in love. Herondales were like that, she thought, they only ever fall in love with one person. She grimaced slightly, composing herself quickly.

"He and Alec are at Taki's. We need to go there Magnus wants to see them I suppose."

"So, he didn't actually say he wanted to see them?" Clary said.

"Well, no. He seemed a bit annoyed but that might be because Simon just crashed their date."

Jace scoffed, "Bloodsucker."

So Simon was a vampire, she wasn't overly fond of them, especially after what happened at De Quincy's. She shuddered despite the warm breeze that blew around them. Wafting with it, the thick aroma of pollution and food, which made her stomach growl.

"Ever the charming man."Will said as if he were here, "So where are we off to?"

"Taki's, did you say?" Jem said, picking up his cane that had been on the floor. Jace, Clary and Isabelle looked slightly taken aback when they watched him lean on it for support, Jem blushed self-consciously. Will looked at them, a disappointed look on his face. He shook his head and gestured for the others to lead the way.

Will placed his hand on the small of her back, propelling her forward down the aisle, her skirts twisted behind her and she felt a pang of jealousy as she watched Clary and Isabelle move easily in their short skirts and stockings, by the looks of it. Clary examined her dress with great intent.

"It's beautiful." She said, "I'd love to draw it." An unusual hobby for a shadowhunter, she thought. Clary reached out to touch the ruffles of her dress but recoiled politely.

"Maybe, if we have to stay here you can." She said kindly, she wanted to befriend the people that were to help her get home.

"It is beautiful isn't it?" Jem said, but she got the impression he wasn't taking about the dress. Both Jace and Will raised their eyebrows at the comment, their glances caught and they quickly looked away from one another. Tessa got the impression that there was some awkwardness between them. Maybe they didn't look alike but they seemed quite similar. She knew there was a lot of relatives in-between Will and Jace, was Will his great, great, great Grandfather, or great uncle or something along those lines.

Isabelle led them out of the institute, Tessa stopped, startled. As did Will and Jem. Buildings loomed above them, some further away than others; they looked hundreds of floors tall and spanned the skyline with a mixture of glass and gray. They were tall and intimidating and she watched as Will's face turned white.

"It must have taken hundreds of warlocks." He grumbled, Clary looked at him strangely, dismissing him and turning back to the smoothly paved road. Tessa had seen cars once maybe twice in the past few months, they were never driven by normal people, just by their inventors for show. But this road was covered in them, bright yellows and blues that contrasted with the paved jungle in front of them. They sped along almost soundlessly, Jem gasped beside her; a sharp intake of breath that compelled her to hold his wrist now.

"Are you guys ok?" Clary asked worriedly

"We're fine. Thank you Clary." Jem said, smiling at her, he looked tired; dark circled beginning to show under his eyes. He coughed. Tessa jumped and she saw Will tense, a look of pure terror on his face as he realised the problem they faced with Jem's lack of drugs.

He carried on coughing. Will darted forward, almost knocking Jace over.

"By the angel, calm down" Jace said, waving his hands by his face, emphasizing the deal Will was making over Jem's outburst. Tessa would be offended or upset, but he didn't know. She couldn't blame him.

"SHUT UP." Will shouted at him, making Clary flinch and Isabelle furrow her brow together, despite this still being beautiful.

"Sorry, it's just-." Tessa began but was interrupted by Isabelle.

"It's okay, you don't have to explain." She said and Clary nodded in agreement. Tessa was grateful.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Jem assured them, he held out his palms and there was no trace of blood, Tessa sighed with relief, she watched Will's shoulders relax and he let out a deep sigh. Will would always worry about Jem, no matter if he was in perfect health she would often see him looking at his parabatai just to check occasionally, that he was still alive and breathing.

**I'm glad you guys like it! I'll carry on writing if people are still enjoying it, but thanks **


	3. Chapter 3

Perhaps an hour later they arrived at Taki's. They had emerged from the yellow cars to a small cafe, sat a little below street level crawling with downworlders, Tessa knew. She had been subjected to sit in a car with Jace and Will, it was extremely awkward and the two of them seemed to have nothing to say, despite the fact that they were related and had never met before. You'd have thought there was lots of family gossip to catch up on, Tessa thought making her way towards the door of the cafe. Clary and Jace walked ahead of them, Jace holding the door open for them politely. She smiled at him to show her gratitude.

"My God, it's not an opium den is it?" Will said, brushing his tangled hair from his eyes, watching a couple of outlandish werewolves exit the building.

"Not quite. But if you want I'm sure Magnus could find one for you, quite the expert from what Alec tells me." Isabelle replied as Jem turned to scowl at his parabatai. Will shrugged.

"It's just a cafe. No drugs, unless you count the faire drinks." Clary said, her lips curling up into a smile, as if she was remembering something. She turned to look at Jace who was trying not to smile. She burst out into a fit of laughter, startling Tessa.

Tessa walked into the cafe after Clary, taken aback by the multitude of downworlders that congregated around different wooden tables, all dressed in strange clothes. Tessa could not help but stare as a vampire walked past, dressed in a skin tight leather dress that barely grazed her knees. She averted her eyes immediately, unlike Will who was quite happy to stare directly at them.

"Over here, Clary!" She heard a boy's voice call out from the corner. She followed Clary to a table in the corner of them room, almost hidden in the dark alcove. Jem was at her side, his hand on her back protectively. Clary stood at the edge of the table, Jace scooted into the booth beside another shadowhunter by the looks of it. He had a head of dark hair and shocking blue eyes, very much like Will, in fact she wondered if he was another Herondale.

Adjacent to him Tessa noticed, was another boy, he was tall and gangly, with brown waves that reached his forehead, and eyes so dark they were almost black. Vampire, she thought immediately, but despite this he looked friendly enough. Tessa remembered the vampires she had had a run in with almost a year ago now and shivered pushing the thought away. He had an unusual T-shirt that read, "Clearly I have made some bad decisions" scrawled across the front in an unusual font. She decided to see what he was like before she befriended him, one could never be too careful with vampires.

"William Herondale." A voice said almost a shout; it was Magnus who had now slid out of his seat. Tessa stared, her mouth open in shock. He had his hair in spikes, covered in glitter, his eyes rimmed with the same dark make-up as Isabelle. He wore leather trousers and a shirt the colours of a rainbow on a summer's day, the collar open showing an expanse of necklaces. She closed her mouth, suddenly aware of what she must have looked like to these people. She shuffled self consciously. Jem squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Magnus, you're looking-" Will paused, obviously shocked and looking for the right word.

"Shiny." Jem said finishing his sentence for him, the two of them had gotten into that habit, Tessa noticed. Will nodded in agreement, his blue eyes wide at the sight of a very sparkly Magnus. He seemed to reflect the little light that poured into the room, when he moved different flecks of light would dance around his head. Tessa found it strangely beautiful.

Tessa suspected the lack of light was because of the vampires, but she was dumbfounded as to how they would get here in the sunlight in the first place. She noticed the boy opposite her was sat in a strip of sunlight. She refrained from asking questions so soon.

"Yes well, times have changes James Carstairs." His voice tightened when he spoke Jem's name. He shook his hand in an informal manner and then did something that shocked Tessa; he pulled Will into a tight embrace. He held him there, she felt she should interrupt the silence between the rest of the group was getting rather uncomfortable. Will pulled away, noticing their stares.

"Nice to see you too Magnus." Will patted him on the arm, they had only seen Magnus last week but for Magnus himself it had been decades. She wondered about when the last time Magnus saw herself was, perhaps it was just last week. She shifted uncomfortably, smoothing down her skirts.

"Tessa." He spoke her name as a whisper, kissing her hand in a gentlemanly way, as he always did.

Clary edged into the seat next to Jace, leaving Magnus to get reacquainted, she bumped Simon's shoulder, his icy skin making her shiver slightly.

"Looks like you've had an eventful morning, Fray, have you been busy in the weapons room again?" He said wiggling his eyebrows.

Shut up Simon!" She hissed, feeling her face flush, "Well it's not every day a group of shadowhunters from Victorian England turn up at your boyfriends house is it?" She said, sarcastically a smile on her face.

"It's not every day you meet a group of shadowhunters. " He said, it was true, she had never really associated herself with any other shadowhunters, she had met them and had mutual friends but other than that Simon's statement was true. There was some nephilim, however, she would rather forget. She grimaced picking up the menu from the centre if the table.

"I suppose not." She grumbled, as she decided whether to have the coconut pancakes or not.

Magnus had shuffled back into his seat beside Alec, who sat staring at Will with an icy stare. His blue eyes bearing into Will's, who turned away uncomfortably and pulled out a chair or Tessa. Clary admired how gentlemanly he was with her, how he always pulled out her chair for her offered her help. Clary wondered if they lived all that time ago if Jace do that for herself.

"Sit down, Jem, Will." Clary said, shuffling Simon along, who was pushed into close proximity with a very angry looking Alec.

"Magnus, I know you probably want to get reacquainted but-" Jem started but was cut off by Alec.

"You haven't introduced us." Alec said, straightening out a scowl and plastering his face with a smile to please his boyfriend.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetpea."

"I'm saying this on behalf of my brother that pet name is not ok." Jace said, wiggling an accusing finger at Magnus who just rolled his eyes.

"Will, Jem, Tess, this is Alec Lightwood and Simon Lewis."

"A Lightwood, I'm not too fond of those."

"You seemed quite fond of Isabelle." Jem said frankly, noticing the way Will had observed Isabelle, especially when she walked in front of him, but Clary found the rest of his attention was towards Tessa. Will didn't respond just shrugged his shoulders knowingly.

"Well, I am, he's nothing like Gabriel. And Gideon was it?"

"Yes." Tessa confirmed with a small smile.

"Alec is my boyfriend," Will raised his eyebrows and Tessa coughed slightly but Jem just sat nodding politely, "Sherwin here is a daylighter, he's Clary's best friend and Isabelle's-" He stopped, not knowing what to say. No one knew what to say when it came to Isabelle and Simon, when Clary asked Simon always responded with an "It's complicated." Or an "I don't know."

Everyone had given up after a while.

"Sherwin?" Jem questioned, "I thought your name was Simon."

"It is."

"Your name is Sherwin or Simon, you've lost me I'm afraid?" Will asked.

"Sheldon." Magnus said jutting his head at Simon, who would be blushing if he could.

"My name is Simon, this is not the point! I can walk in the daylight because when I was dying Jace saved me by letting me drink his blood. That is why they call me a daylighter." He finished with and exasperated sigh.

"Say it louder Sherlock, it's not like anyone would kill you if they found out." Magnus said sarcastically, Clary knew that if any other vampires found out about this it would be just a bit of a problem. Scratch that, a huge problem she thought.

Simon didn't reply, just putting his hands on the table and shaking his head at the sparkling warlock that was sipping a tall blue drink that had appeared from nowhere.

**I'm not sure if I like writing from Clary's perspective, I don't think it's as interesting but if you guys keep enjoying this, I'll try and post every Saturday from now on! Thanks **


	4. Chapter 4

Tessa watched as Magnus sipped away at his beverage, unbeknown to the worry the three of them were going through. He was perhaps their only chance of returning home, the fact that their last chance was Magnus, scared her a little. Simon now sat agitated opposite her, Clary looking at him, and Jace looking at her. Occasionally she spotted him sneaking a glance at Will, who was being bombarded with questions from Magnus. Jem had hold of her hand reassuringly, he was very warm, Tessa realised. His face was flushed against his pale complexion and a wave of worry passed over her. She wanted to reach out, to touch his flushed cheeks with her finger tips, to reassure him, he needed it more. But she settled on squeezing his hand hard, until it began to hurt.

"So, do you think you can get us home safely Magnus?" Jem asked, resting his head in his free hand. Tessa heard Alec mumble something under his breath, so far, she wasn't too keen on the eldest Lightwood sibling, and she wondered what Magnus saw in him but quickly assumed she was jumping to conclusions. He must be perfectly lovely; I just need to get to know him though I hope I don't. She thought to herself, returning to the conversation at hand.

"I can help you." He said, pushing his dark hair back with his fingers, red and gold glitter cascading onto his shoulders. "But it might take me a while."

"It might take you a while." Will repeated in a demanding tone, "Magnus, we need to get back. Cecily-"

Magnus raised his hands, as he did so she noticed Alec at the side of him, looking slightly more at ease, she sighed.

"I know, I know. Will, you have to give me some time, I have only ever seen this happen once in my lifetime and it wasn't me who fixed it. Eight hundred years is a long time for something to only happen once." He said, "But maybe, if I fail-"

"You shall not fail, Magnus, we trust you completely." Tessa added quickly, it suddenly occurred to her how far into the future they were. Magnus had aged at least another century and still didn't look a day over adolescence. She found herself sat in shock and wonder. Magnus grumbled something, but smiled a wry smile.

"I was going to say, there is another option, Clary you could help."

Clary, how could she help? Tessa wondered, she was just a shadowhunter and according to the codex, they couldn't use magic like warlocks could, she remembered.

"Me." Clary frowned, but her face turned to an expression of sudden realisation, "A rune."

"But we know how this works; she can't just do this on demand." Simon said, taking a small gulp from a mug, looking around self consciously as he did so. A trickle of red ran down his chin, he wiped it up hastily and pressing his lips into a thin line. He was drinking blood, she knew, she felt sick now and turned away looking over her shoulder to the rest of the restaurant. A young girl walked past, with blue skin, almost transparent and a wicked smile, holding a tray of raw meat. She whipped her head back round rapidly, Will raising his eyebrows at her. New York was not how she remembered it, but maybe it was just herself that had changed.

"Wait, how could Clary possibly help us?" Will asked, pulling his hair back from his eyes.

"Clary and Jace are well, erm-"Isabelle said, struggling to find the right word. "Special."

"I prefer the word exceptional or unique." Jace said, leaning back. "Or you know, just better than every other shadowhunter."

"I very much doubt that." Will said.

"I can create new runes, I can't do it on demand but sometimes they just come to me. Most of them are completely safe, and they always work." She said, her gaze fell to Tessa, "Jace is stronger and more how do I put it? Well, he jumped from the top of the institute and landed on his feet without killing himself."

"You can create new runes?" Jem asked, "So maybe a time travel rune may be in order."

"Potentially, but as she said she can't do it on demand, we both need time."

"Clary, is that okay with you?" Tessa asked, looking towards the fiery haired girl whose bright green eyes flicked their gaze across Tessa's face, she suddenly felt very aware of herself and readjusted her skirts underneath her.

"Yes, I can't guarantee anything but I'll try my best." She said nervously. Tessa took her word for it. There was something familiar and warm about Clary that led her to believe she was trustworthy and Tessa had an incline that it might be Clary who saved them. Jem coughed again, startling her, pulling her away from her thoughts.

He wretched slightly, his face turning pale and his eyes, that resembled silver coins were closed. Will was raised out of his seat and Magnus pulled him back down by his shoulder with such a force that the cutlery on the table rattled. Tessa turned to Jem, who was regaining his breath; there were small spots of blood on his sleeve. He tried to wipe his mouth discreetly.

"Is there a place I can clean myself up?" Jem whispered so quietly to Jace that no one turned a head to answer.

"Restrooms are that way." Simon said, pointing towards a rickety old door that stood beside the brightly lit bar. She watched as Isabelle hit him lightly on the shoulder, her expression fierce. He pointed to his ear.

"I can't help it." He muttered, Tessa knew vampires had strengthened hearing, as she had experienced herself when she had changed into one once. She felt an ache in her stomach, which was only made stronger by the Lightwoods leaning over the table to speak to each other. To have blood relations, had become an almost distant memory.

"_Yin fen," _Magnus said, in a foreign accent, "since you're here for a while I might have to make a trip."

"That's my job. I will fetch it for him." Will said. The others sat in confusion, refraining from asking questions. Tessa admired their will power to stay quiet, something that she found near impossible, but today she was trying her best.

"It's looking like you might be here for a while, you may as well make yourself at home. Do you want to stay at my place?" Magnus offered, Tessa heard Alec mutter something to Magnus.

"You can stay at the institute. It would be more suited, and we have much more space." Alec said to Tessa's disclosure, his chirpy voice, took her by surprise, his blue eyes that alarmingly resembled Will's set on her.

"That sound like a fine plan." Will said, "But the Lightwoods run the institute am I correct?"

"Yes, but don't worry your pretty little brain, Benedict is long gone." Magnus said, dropping a glittery wink at Tessa.

"Perhaps Magnus, you could stay as well, there's more space for you to work." Alec said, quickly. His hasty voice shaking slightly. Magnus raised his eyebrows at him, a small smirk dancing at the corner of his lips.

"By the angel." Jace said, shaking his head so his golden curls swayed around his chin. He did look remarkably angelic, Tessa thought, but he knew it.

"Okay, but let's eat first I'm starving." Magnus said summoning the blue-skinned waitress from a table of werewolves.

**Thank you for reading and reviewing! The time-travel rune was inspired by a review, so thanks for that. I hope you enjoyed reading it.**


	5. Chapter 5

The meal was rather hasty, Tessa thought. She had trusted Clary in her recommendation to have the coconut pancakes that were rough on her tongue and sat heavy in her stomach. She heard it gurgle, rather unladylike, as she watched Will dig industriously into some overcooked meat and Simon continue to drink from his mug.

Jem had returned from the table to find, only a drink there. As ordered by Will, who was always the one to look out for Jem when the effects of his drug began to wear off. Jem's parabatai always knew when he was in pain. Unlike Tessa, this made her uncomfortable in a lot of ways but somehow it was nice not to have another burden weigh heavy on her shoulders, as if someone was leaning on her. Pushing down with such force sometimes she felt she couldn't take it.

They retreated to the institute as it turned to twilight and this time Tessa sat in the yellow machine with Isabelle and Clary.

"Tessa, you can borrow some of my clothes. You look about my size; people will notice something odd if you walk about in your dress." Isabelle said with a hint of superiority. Perhaps it was because of her downworlder status, but then again, she was a Lightwood.

"Thank you Isabelle, that would be much appreciated." She said, smiling at her.

"Isabelle, you do realise Tessa might want something, well, less revealing." Clary added a small smirk on her face as if she was mocking her friend.

"I'm not a mundane Clary, I know!" She said as the cab pulled up outside the looming steeple of the institute, she saw Will and Jem, stood with the others. The sight of her two friends and the institute behind them made her pine for the comfort of London. She gasped, surprised at her own thoughts, London had definitely become her home, that she was certain. But also at the fact that Isabelle used the word mundane as an insult, she pondered the thought for a while.

Tessa was shown to a room opposite Isabelle's down a long stone corridor, that was vast compared to the smaller ones of the London institute, Will walked into the room next to hers, trying to shoo away Magnus who was hot on his heels with a pile of clothes for Will that he had conjured from the air in a swirl of blue sparks.

Jem was muttering to Jace, away from the others slightly, Tessa had noticed that they seemed to be quite friendly with each other, but maybe Jace was just being sympathetic for his illness. There was still blood on his sleeve.

"Just put them on William, we need to go out!" Magnus said, looking flustered and pressing a pair of shoes into Will's chest.

"I will, but you are in my room Magnus." Will said, noticing the warlock had now stepped into his room, out of Tessa's sight, their voices carrying down the hallway. Passed them Alec was striding down the corridor a freshly drawn rune at the base of his neck, near the curve of his collarbone. Stamina, she recognised from the codex. What did he need a stamina rune for? She asked herself, Alec smiled at her warmly, swinging himself into the room with Will and Magnus.

"Where are you taking him, Magnus?"

"_Yin Fen." _He repeated. "Jem needs his drug and I am taking Will to get it for him."

"Can't you go by yourself?" Alec added.

" , I need to get this for him." Will said sternly, as Alec sighed. "Ok, get out Magnus!" Will shoved the two of them out of the room and Tessa laughed as they stumbled on one another but they did not notice her spying the goings on outside of her own area. Jace handed Jem a bunch of clothes as Isabelle did the same for her. Shimmying out of her room now, in no less than a vest and material trousers.

"These should be ok; I chose the ones that didn't show so much skin."

"I bet that was difficult." Jace said passing by the two of them. Isabelle huffed, pulling up the strap of her undergarments.

"In fact, is Clary still here, I said she could draw my dress?" Tessa asked, remembering their earlier conversation, she had began to feel rather self conscious in her full skirts and corset.

"No, she went back home with Simon." She said, a shadowhunter going home with a vampire didn't seem like such a good idea. But times had changed.

"Oh, I guess I will see her tomorrow then, thank you Isabelle." She nodded at Isabelle and retreated back into her room, as she turned around she caught a glimpse of Magnus kissing Alec full on the mouth before he knocked on Will's door again. She couldn't help but stare for a moment. Shocked, she shut the door hastily.

She undid her dress and slid it to the floor, throwing it over the back of a piece of dark-wood furniture that sat at an odd angle at the end of the bed. She picked up the long skirt that Isabelle had given her, just one layer of black material that would hopefully fall to her ankles. Tessa thought it was strangely beautiful as she slid it on. She pulled on the grey velvet shirt that hugged her torso and arms tightly, finishing at her elbows showing the pale skin and freckles of her forearm.

She was slightly afraid to look in the small mirror that stood in the corner of the room, and just as a reminder of home she left her own shoes on, putting Isabelle's against the wall. Hoping that she may not have to use them, and she stuck with the sentimentality of her own.

"MAGNUS, WHAT IN THE ANGEL'S NAME IS THIS?" Will screeched, a door slamming down the hallway. "I WILL KILL YOU."

Tessa flinched and made her way out of the door cautiously, to the ringing sound of Jem's laughter and muffled giggles from Isabelle. She creaked the door open, and stepped out into the hallway and burst into laughter herself. Will was a sight for sore eyes.

"You're like Magnus's mini me." Isabelle said, moving he fist away from her mouth that was pulled into a wide smile.

"Baby." Jem read, regarding the tight black T-shirt that he wore, with the word, _baby, _written across the front in pink and blue sequins. Tessa looked down to the dark green pants he was wearing, so tight he looked as if he was unable to breathe.

"What's wrong with it? You look fine." Magnus said, "I mean, it looks better than that on me but-"

"Hey Baby." Jace said emerging from around of the corner, his eyebrows raised and a snarky smile plastered onto his face.

"GET IT OFF ME." Will said, as he began to pull the T-shirt over his head. He got tangled in the material and huffed, Tessa could see the sweat begin to form on his forehead and the ends of his hair begin to curl at the curve of his neck.

"I'll get you some clothes." Alec grumbled.

**Just a quick note, WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BONES.**


	6. Chapter 6

A small shaft of light that shone strangely through the high window, directly into Tessa's eyes awoke her from a fitful sleep, her first night at The Institute. In New York.

In 2008.

It took her a moment to adjust to that thought, and she sat up slowly, pulling the linen pyjama set, that Isabelle had given her back down from her torso, where a strip of her stomach was showing. How had this happened? She thought, dumbfounded by the events of the past few days. The people she had met, the places she had seen, the worries that she had gone through, the years that had passed hurt her head.

She rose out of bed and pulled on the same clothes as yesterday, eyeing her normal dress that hung over the furniture with a strange longing. But she didn't miss the corset; she pulled on the velvet shirt again and smoothed her hair down, still slightly frightened to look in the mirror. She was never fond of it anyway. She was pulled out of her sleepy reverie by a sharp knock at the door. She swung it open, Jem stood there, in a pair of worn blue pants with rips at the knees and a plain grey T-shirt that hung of his slim frame, it was slightly to big. He looked unkempt, the way she should expect Will to look. But his face was bright, his eyes shining silver rings and colour in his cheeks. He smiled warmly at her. The drug, she remembered.

"Good morning, my love." He said and his lips brushed softly against her cheekbone, he brushed her hair away and tucked it behind her ears. They both blushed simultaneously as he led her out of the room. "Breakfast?"

"Yes, I'm starving. Are you feeling better?"

"I hope to God that he is." Will said from behind them, he appeared out of a doorway now wearing similar attire to Jem's but Tessa noticed a line of sequins around the waist of his pants. He mustn't have noticed, she thought, she decided not to mention it. "Do not let Magnus take me out of this place again; he decided to give me a personal tour of New York and his apartment for some reason. Let me tell you, that cat, as glittery as it may be, is _evil_." He hissed.

"Look!" He held out his forearms that contained dozens of small red scratches.

"Surely you've seen things more evil."

"That cat was _Satan_."

" Why did you not use an iratze?" Tessa inquired, noticing Jem's attention had been turned to a moving shadow down the corridor.

"Isabelle told me to take it like a man." He grumbled quietly, folding his arms across his chest and looking in the direction of Jem, who had stalked off down the corridor. Will looked worriedly at her, his eyebrows furrowed deeply together and the two of them wandered after him. They passed down corridors, with identical furniture and doors until Tessa could hear the voices of the Isabelle and Jace.

"CHURCH!" Jem shouted, hauling up a gray cat into his arms. Tessa was sceptical, never had she liked that cat or was it logical for it to be alive. She watched Jem as he cradled the usually vicious cat against his chest. Isabelle swung the door open peering out into the hallway.

"Church, I told you to fetch-"She began, her mouth suddenly dropping open as she saw the cat in Jem's grasp.

"So, this is Church?" Will inquired, staying as far away as possible and edging towards Isabelle with his hands held up. Isabelle nodded as Jace appeared behind her. "Damn it! I really do hate cats."

"What are you doing?" Jace sighed, looking to Will, who was pressed against the wall, his chin turned away from them all as if he was concealing himself, camouflaged in with the wall.

"Avoiding my imminent death." Will said before running full pelt into the doorway behind Jace, Tessa stifled a laugh.

"Oh, do be quiet William." Jem said, petting the cat's head that was now falling asleep and purring gently. How was that cat still alive, but then again how were they here? She wondered wandering in after Will.

"Who knows?" Magnus said from behind her, with a voice as soft as velvet despite the groggy tone of sleep. She must have spoken out loud and she blushed furiously as Alec passed by her, with a smile on his face. She noticed that his stamina rune was faded to silver.

"Come on, I ordered waffles." Magnus said, pressing his hand into the small of her back.

The group of Shadowhunters sat around a fireplace, that was unlit, sprawled across various armchairs and devouring waffles. Tessa had never had them before but they were delicious and satisfied a sweet tooth that was always ignored. She sat in a plush chair with Jem next to her and Will perched on the side, she could smell smoke and night time on his clothes, which gave her the incline that he hadn't slept last night.

"So what's the plan Magnus?" Will said, rubbing his hands together.

"I need more time. You remember the last time I did something for you, don't you William?"

Will raised his eyebrows and his lips pursed, a look of pain flashing across his face. "How long?" He said ignoring the comment about past events. "Cecily will wonder where we have disappeared to. Charlotte and Henry as well, we mustn't worry Charlotte by any means."

"I know. I'm sorry; just give me a week or so."

"You could be a little more precise." Tessa added, her impatience getting the better of her. Magnus sighed heavily and Alec squeezed his hand reassuringly, Isabelle huffed.

"Fine. Give me two weeks."

"Deal." Jem said eagerly ploughing through the last few bites of food and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, a gesture that shocked Tessa slightly. Where were his manners?

"I can show you round New York! Tessa I can take you shopping, we'll show you the sights." Isabelle said suddenly, startling Tessa, her black hair falling out of its tie. She paused. "Jace, text Clary she'll know where the mundies visit."

"Clary will just end up taking you too the comic book store or something." Alec said, "She's lived in Brooklyn her whole life and I bet she's never seen the sights."

"Ask Simon then." Isabelle said, her excitement still evoked in her voice and she pulled that bright device from her pocket again.

"No, he goes where Clary goes, face it; he's never seen them either." Alec said.

"My God, have a little faith." Jace said, "Clary will show you." He looked directly into Tessa's eyes as he spoke to her and she noticed that they shone a dark gold in the dim light of the room, like coins almost. He put his plate on the floor and sauntered out of the room, running his hands through his golden hair.

"Why can't I show you? I showed Will last night."

"You what-?" Alec started, his voice was angry before he was cut off by Will.

"Because you have a job to do." Will patted Magnus' spiky hair and stalked out of the room after Jace.

**Hi! This is just a bit of a filler chapter but I hope you like it.**


	7. Chapter 7

Tessa tracked Will down to the weapons room, after about half an hour of trying to find the place she located him stood over a table of blades, an array of colours and sizes. He picked them up, one by one, examining them with graceful ands and occasionally making a swing at the air in front of him. She couldn't help but watch him though; she stood peering around the doorway careful to keep out of sight; not sure why she didn't want to be seen.

"I've never seen this one before." Will said, twisting a particularly strange looking dagger between his fingers. Tessa stood confused for a second, about to answer him before a husky voice answered for her out of the shadows of the dimly lit room.

"Relatively new that one, not one of my favourites." Jace stepped out from the shade, and stood on the opposite side of the table to Will. He leaned against it, the lean muscles in his arms tensing as he examined the blade intently. Tessa examined the two of them for a moment, not wanting to disturb the first conversation the two of them had had without snapping at each other. But that's Herondales for you, she thought, as stubborn as ever.

"Will." She said moving out of the doorway and into the room, it was dusty and the smell of the weapons and various pieces of equipment reminded her of London, she was overwhelmed with the longing to get home. For things to finally be okay again, as they were before they had landed themselves in this predicament.

"Mr. Herondale," She said, acknowledging Jace who smiled at her, but his golden eyes seemed distant and it made Tessa uncomfortable. "We're leaving in a moment."

"Where are we going?" Will asked, placing the blade carefully back on the table.

"The Empire State building and the-." She paused; thinking of the name that Isabelle had mentioned. She had mentioned so many places that they had surpassed Tessa in a blur and she decided just to go along with the Shadowhunter.

"Central Park." She said as the flitting memory of the conversation floated through her head.

"Magnus took me there last night."

"Where didn't Magnus take you last night?" Jace enquired with a joking expression. The room was quiet for a while, and Will started walking towards Tessa with sad eyes and blushing cheeks. He looked her up and down before he spoke again.

"Home." He said, the room was a the type of silence that crawls underneath your skin and screams at you so shrill that it's the loudest thing you've ever heard, Tessa couldn't bear to break it.

"You'll get there; I have complete faith in Magnus." Jace said walking past the two of them and out into the hallway. "He's never let us down before."

"What about Clary?" Tessa said unable to stop herself from asking.

"Clary won't let you down either, but she might get you killed in the process." He stalked off out of the room and Tessa wondered what he meant, who had died and what made Clary so dangerous that she might need to conserve her life? She looked up at Will who looked at the Herondale as he walked away; he huffed, a small smile forming at one corner of his lips. Tessa felt her skin crawl again, but not in the bad way that it had before. She looked away slightly furious with herself.

"Come along Tess." He said quietly avoiding her glance.

"Thousands and thousands of warlocks, good God." Will shouted above the racket of the bustling people around them and arching his neck to look up at the building that loomed above them. It must be hundreds of floors high, she thought to herself. She followed Will's gaze and it hurt her neck as she could not even see the top spire. The building looked as if it would fall on her at any moment and she stepped backwards, Jem's hand catching the small of her back, stopping her from falling into the busy road. She smiled at him, and she noticed that his eyes looked greyer today, his hair looked darker and his face was full of colour, he looked better.

"It's 100 floors, or something like that." Clary said, pulling her red hair out of her face, Jace proceeded to tuck it behind her ear.

"600 if you count Olympus." Everyone's heads whipped round to look at Simon, who stood next to Magnus, with his hands shoved in his pockets. Will scoffed and folded his arms across his chest.

"_Vampires." _Will said under his breath, but Simon heard him obviously. He raised his hands up, shaking his head so that his brown waves fell into his eyes, and made him look as pale as a ghost.

"It was a joke! Percy Jackson?" He asked, his eyebrows had disappeared into his hairline. "It's a book series, oh my G-" He stopped whilst he was ahead of himself, so he didn't choke on the word. Will laughed and Simon scowled back at him.

"Just leave it Simon." Clary said patting his back and giving him a condescending look, she propelled him forward and they walked into the skyscraper.

**I'm really sorry that this is short and I haven't updated in a while, I've been really busy with exams and freaking out over The Bane Chronicles. But I should get back on track when I finish school next week!**


	8. Chapter 8

Tessa stood and watched. She watched everything; all the way up there she felt that she could see everything, the tall buildings that touched the sky, creating shapes in the clouds stretched for a vast distance. The tall points of the buildings, where they climaxed into the sky and pierced the blue of the day, with white lines of cloud and fluffy white pillows that floated away briskly in the sharp wind that pierced her cheeks and made the end of her nose red. The mesh and grey spires that obscured her vision loomed in the way and over her head, she knew they were to keep her safe but she didn't feel at ease. It wasn't because of the height either. This isn't New York, she thought, this isn't home, the place where she grew up with her Aunt Harriet and Nate, the buildings weren't as high and intimidating but it wasn't London either.

Will stuck to the wall of the building, edging his way ever closer to the exit that would take them back to the ground, his face a pale shade of green, giving his faded runes a ghostly imprint on his skin. Jem sauntered past him, his face at ease and his usually silvery tone was bright. He walked past Tessa, swiftly planting a kiss on her temple.

He was never usually this, happy.

No, she thought, she had seen Jem was happy and the way he was acting now wasn't that, he was giddy, almost childlike. He leaned forward onto the ledge pressing his nose against the metal wires that criss-crossed in front of him, he had one hand up, his fingers holding on to the metal and his long fingers intertwined with them, like they intertwined with her own hand. Simon appeared next to him, the wind blowing his hair all over the place and he leaned forward with Jem, overlooking his city.

They laughed, Jem's face lit up, his silver eyes creasing as he laughed, and she felt a laugh escape her own lips at the sight of him. Simon's eyebrows furrowed together as he watched Jem, he could see it too, that something wasn't right.

The vampire patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner and left to find Clary. She guessed he was going to find Clary, that is where he always seemed to be but she grabbed his arm before he could leave. She felt the coolness of his skin radiate onto her own and she suppressed a shiver and he looked down at her sympathetically, for someone so skinny, he was surprisingly tall.

"You've noticed too." She said, "Jem, I mean, he's different."

"You've been giving him drugs..." He said, raising his eyebrows at her, "I presumed they were for medical reasons but from the looks of it, I was wrong, he looks off his head."

She frowned at the statement, not quite sure what to make of it. "They are for medical reasons, but this has never happened before, he seems more-"

"Alive?"

"Yes. But that's not the point, how does he seem to you? I noticed it when we were eating; he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Jem has manners, I don't understand it."

"When you guys arrived he looked ill, paler than me and his eyes are quite a shock when you first see them, they freaked me out, they're like mirrors." He answered," It's like he recovered overnight and I don't know what's wrong with him but I'm guessing that's not normal."

Tessa was confused.

"What happened to him Tessa?"

"It's an extensive story and I do not wish to tell it without permission, Simon I'm sorry." She said, regaining her composure, but she felt comfortable around Simon, like she did with Jem, and Will on occasion. Simon shuffled closer to her, so he was out of the direction of the wind that blew his collar up and touched his cheekbones. He didn't look so much like a vampire, especially since he was out here in the light of day, the sun picking up the lighter streaks in his hair and eyelashes, he was beautiful in the way that Jem was, slim and tall, not the usual choice but there was no denying that there was something about him. The way the muscles in his face changed as he smiled, the curve of his neck and his pale skin where his prominent collarbone melted into the white T-shirt with black letters scrawled across the front, "I blogged your mom." She didn't understand but she didn't want to ask. But it was his eyes, like Jem's that made him different, and slightly chilling, but most vampires are. They were like black tunnels that seemed to go on forever; no contrast between his iris and where the colour should be. She couldn't help but stare, not out of attraction just wonder; there were so many questions she wanted to ask him in particular out of all the people she had come by in this year.

He shuffled self-consciously, and moved out of the way for an elderly couple dressed in floral shirts and khaki hats, with binoculars around their necks. The building was beginning to get particularly busy. "It's ok, I wouldn't want Isabelle going round and telling strangers about-"he paused, clearing his throat, "my condition."

"That you're a vampire?" She asked frankly, knowing that no one would turn around to notice them, they wouldn't believe them. They were New Yorkers-they stopped for nobody.

"Yes-"

"How did you become a vampire?" She couldn't resist asking, despite this making her a hypocrite; she couldn't stop the bad habit. Simon smiled at her, a laugh forming at the corners of his lips and his eyes creased at the corners. She smiled.

"Maybe next time," he said, "How come you're engaged to Jem, at sixteen?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." He said rocking back on his heels, "You're just young to be engaged is all."

"What does your t-shirt mean?" She said changing the conversation, laughter erupted from his lips that had been pressed into a thin line. "What did you do to my Mom?"

He struggled for breath as he laughed again and Tessa laughed too, not even knowing what he found so funny but she went a long with him, it was the most genuine emotion she had felt in a while and had the guts to convey, and not have to worry about hurting anyone.

"I didn't do anything to _your _mom." He emphasized the 'your' and Tessa raised her eyebrows at him, he looked hurt, a mocking smile appeared against his will and she had almost forgotten he was a vampire.

Their day continued to the park that was submerged in the cascading grey buildings and when they were in the heart of the never ending path ways and grassy planes, you almost wouldn't be able to tell that you were surrounded by a city. If it wasn't for the noises of the yellow machines and corporate people in business suits yapping down their phones, (Jace had explained the contraptions to her earlier, but she still wasn't so sure how they worked) carrying a paper cup in one hand and a leather case in the other.

Jace stretched out on the grass, his short t-shirt lifted up to the middle of his torso and he let out a dramatic sigh, a young couple looked over, shooting them an evil stare. He pulled Alec down next to him; Alec huffed and rolled over, leaning on his elbows and letting out a yawn to rival Church's and looking round self-consciously.

Tessa noticed Jem walking off and staring at a tree, he looked at the base and his glance followed the brambling trunk all the way to the top. What was he doing?

"What is he doing?" Will said, standing next to Tessa.

"Something's not right."

"I know." Will scratched his arm, pulling up the soft cotton of his shirt revealing something that glowed a strange shade if purple. She seized his hand, rolling up the sleeve and she gasped. His parabatai rune shone a dull purple that seemed to reflect the light. The usually still lines moved, they intertwined with each other, winding up and down, twisting and then falling apart completely. So that there were three straight lines on Will's arm, they repaired themselves and then repeated it again.

"Tess-"

"Will, what is this? Was it the drug? Do you feel okay, I mean the connection between the two of you, is it normal?" The questions poured out of her mouth and toppled into the empty space between the two of them. Will looked at her inquisitively.

"The connection is the same as ever, if not stronger. I know he's well, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong but-"Sudden realisation came over his face, and his face seemed to glow red hot with anger, he snatched his arm away from Tessa pulling his sleeve down.

"Magnus, that bastard."

**I should be updating regularly from now on. But if you can't tell from this, Simon is my favourite character and his and Tessa's friendship seemed quite likely, but let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

Will tore away from her, yanking down his sleeve, his face burning crimson and his dark hair blowing in the wind, impairing his sight and he pushed it back in frustration. A low growl came from deep in his throat and he stormed off, pushing past Tessa and breaking into a run. Tessa watched him, unable to follow him, because of Jem, no matter how much she wanted too. Jem was more important at this moment in time.

"Jace, follow him, please." Tessa said in a demanding tone to Jace who was already on his feet, and speeding off down the path after his ancestor, pulling a glamoured seraph blade from his belt, previously concealed by his jacket. She hitched up her skirt to her ankles, out of habit and walked over to Jem. He stood at the foot of a tall tree that branched off into the blue sky, the leaves raining down on them, the colour made Jem look ghostly. He looks normal again, Tessa thought to herself sadly, sad that it was normal for him to look this ill. Sad, that this is how he has ended up, a ghost of the person he should have been.

"Jem?" He turned to look at her, a warm smile on his face, his smile didn't stretch to the corners of his eyes but it lit up his face. His eyes looked at her sorrowfully.

"It's such a beautiful day Tessa." He sighed, his shoulders dropped as if he had been wishing to say that all of his life. She walked to stand by him, following his gaze to the top of the tree, where sunlight cascaded through the leaves in strange shafts of gold. "It's so colourful. You appreciate it so much more when you don't contain it; I used to have dark hair like Will, dark eyes, a bit of colour to my skin Tess, but now it's left me, but it's still here. In places like this, the blue, the green, the shades of brown, the gray of your eyes. It's wonderful."

Tessa felt a lump forming in her throat; it hurt so much to know that he felt this way. "We need to get you back to the institute Jem, something's not right, you're not well."

He stared back at her with empty eyes, he looked at her for what seemed like minutes but what must have only been a few seconds, and shining tears rose in the corners of his eyes. He tried to blink them away, but they poured down his cheek, down the contours of his nose and the soft shape of his lips. He is really beautiful, she thought. She grabbed his hand, it was warm and he let out a sob.

"I know, Tessa, I know." He leaned onto her shoulders, his silver hair tickling her cheek. She let him stay there for a while, wrapping her arms around him, not caring for the other people that were milling around the park. She could feel him shaking and the fragility of him scared her as she hugged him tighter.

"Jem, we have to go."

"You have to help me Tessa." He whispered, still silently crying onto her shoulder. How could she help him? There must be something she could do but they were stuck over a century in the future, in a whole new country, for Jem anyway. There must be something..."Please."

"I promise Jem, I promise I will do all that I can." She said pushing him away from her and placing both of her hands on the sides of his face, wiping away his tears with her thumb and she kissed him lightly, his hot lips tasting of salt.

"Thank you." He leaned his forehead against hers and rested there.

"Magnus?" Will shouted as he ran through the door of the institute, tearing off his jacket and pulling a seraph blade out of his belt, he whispered its name and it lit up before him, reflecting into the dimly lit entrance hall of the institute. "MAGNUS BANE?"

He huffed in frustration heading over to the rickety lift that sat in the corner, he pulled the doors closed and the slamming metal rang in his ears, he pressed the button he had watched Isabelle press this morning and bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited. He felt like killing Magnus, but of course he wouldn't after everything the warlock had done for him. Magnus had set him free. He felt a pain in his chest as he realised that he never truly would be. He pressed his sweaty forehead against the wall and hit his fist against the dusty mirror. _Jem_. He watched the rune on his form arm disintegrate again into a jumble of glowing lines.

"Magnus?" He shouted again as he yanked open the doors and stormed out into the corridor, he ran. Doors and stone walls passed by him in a blur, he saw Clary exit a room out of the corner of his eye, with a stele in her hand and a piece of paper in the other. She shouted his name after him, but he ignored her.

"William." Magnus stepped out suddenly in front of him and Will went crashing into his chest, his jacket was covered in studs and they dug into his forearm and he grimaced. Magnus helped Will up but he flinched away.

"No. Don't you help me." Will spat, he was angry at Magnus, he had no intention of hurting him but having a weapon in his hand put him at ease.

"Will, what's wrong?"

"Don't! You must know, you must know what you've done, you gave him the wrong one, how could you?"

"Put the knife down Will." He said raising his hands defensively, "You don't want to hurt me."

"I would, but your kind is damn stubborn when it comes to injuries, it's not worth my time." He put the blade down by his side. He knew he had surrendered easily and became embarrassed by himself.

"Now, what have I done?" He spoke softly as if he was addressing a small child, like he was scared of setting Will off, just in case he attacked him at any second. Will shook his head, he must know? He didn't say anything; he pulled up his sleeve and showed Magnus his parabatai rune. The warlock stared at it open mouthed, watching it just as Tessa had done, his eyes following the monotonous pattern of the lines as they intertwined in and out of each other in a complex rhythm.

"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it." Magnus said quietly, Will scoffed.

"YOU GAVE JEM THE WRONG DRUG YOU IDIOT. He's been acting strangely as if he's been getting better, but he's getting more distant. Not much has happened to him on the outside, but he's losing himself, I can feel it. _Magnus, I can feel it." _

"Stop it, Will. You're working yourself up. "

"I will not stop, where did you take us the other night?"

"To get yin fen, to help you brother, to keep him alive Will" He said _your brother_ in a strained voice as if it pained him to say it.

"No, no you didn't what did you give him?"

"You think I intended to give Jem the wrong drug, you think I want him to be ill, Will? Do you seriously think that I don't care about him?"

"No, I-"

"I care about you, and I care about Jem, I would never ever sabotage that. Are you so single minded to think that Herondale?"

"Single minded?" Will shouted, almost furious at the warlock now. "You don't know what I've been through for Jem, I can't afford to think of the options, his life is too important to me."

"Will, I'm sorry, I can help him." He said after a long pause.

"You better."

**I hope you liked it, I cried.**


	10. Chapter 10

Jem's hand was locked in Tessa's, she pulled him along up to the front of the institute as if pulling a young child to school, he was reluctant to leave the tree in the park, and was confused as to why they had to depart, Tessa wasn't too sure either. But she had to follow Will, there was something wrong, something that put Jem in danger; that much she knew. She felt him stop, holding her back from entering the old church, his iron grip keeping her in her place. He didn't seem very weak.

"Tessa, what's happening?" He asked a look of innocence on his face, his sad eyes staring into her own, the colour of the stars, right before they faded into daytime.

"Jem you're not-"

"I know I'm not well Tessa, I'm dying." He said frankly, letting go of her hand. She noticed Alec's shoulders stiffen, he was stood in front of her waiting for them to join Isabelle and himself inside but now he examined Jem intently. He didn't smile, or offer condolences, he walked straight ahead and inside, Tessa was grateful that he didn't bother. "I mean why did we come back so suddenly?"

"I don't know, honestly I would tell you if I knew." Tessa said, "Will knows, that's why he came back but as for yet we don't know why he returned."

Jem wiped his cheeks again, his eyebrows furrowing together, "Why am I crying?" He asked, a look of worry flashed across his face as he realised it was not proper for him to cry in front of Tessa for no apparent reason. But she knew that there was a reason. Had he forgotten? She could see the bones in his face, he had always been slight but now he seemed ghostly, his eyes were deeper into his head casting dark shadows onto his cheeks which melted into the dark shade that lay underneath his cheekbones. His lips were pink and dry. She longed to be back home so much, she was tempted to see if she could cast that damn portal herself and go home, but she didn't even know if it was a portal. She felt frustration build up inside of her and she clenched her hands into fists at her sides

"Jem, do you recall the conversation we just had?" He shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes. "By the tree?"

"No, I don't remember anything." He looked as if he was about to cry again, his lower lip trembling slightly. "What did we say?" She took hold of his hand again, feeling every bone move and click as his fingers wound around hers tightly, so tight, her knuckles turned white but she didn't dare loosen her grip.

"You were talking about the colours of the tree, the sky, the leaves, where you find all of the brightness in this place, when you have none of it yourself." She paused, letting the silence of the moment engulf her."How much you learn to appreciate things when they're absent. But you never lost it, it might not look like it, but you are all colours and light James Carstairs." She brushed her lips against his cheek, and he smiled a warm beam back at her. She had never said that to him, no matter how true that it was she hadn't had the strength to say it whilst she watched her fiancée break down in front of her, she wished that she had.

They found Will by the door of Magnus and Alec's room. He was stood talking to the warlock with a dangerous expression plastered across his face and a seraph blade hung limply at his side, its shine fading. Jace was stood with them his arms folded in front of his chest, looking at Will with great meaning, they looked nothing alike. They were complete opposite in appearance but their personalities were uncanny as Tessa had discovered the in past few days, but she had yet to get to know Jace. She hoped that she wouldn't have to and they would be home soon but by the sorry look on Clary's face, who had appeared beside her, they had no such luck.

Will's head whipped round as he saw Jem, his eyes locked with Tessa's for a moment and she couldn't drop her gaze from staring into the blue of his eyes, it was selfish of her but she couldn't help it. Stop it, she scorned herself, you shouldn't indulge in such things when Jem needs you. But she knew she shouldn't indulge in them at all. "Jem," Will rushed over to his parabatai, looking him up and down, "I am so sorry."

"What for?" Jem asked confused, Will looked at Tessa, his mouth hanging open and she shook her head, telling him that Jem was oblivious. "What's going on?"

Will stuttered, "Come on." He pushed Jem around and the two of them strode off down the hall.

"Would somebody like to tell me what's going on?" Isabelle added, but she was ignored by Tessa who was watching the two best friends walking off down the hall. They looked so different in these clothes; younger and they both walked with such composure that they looked like walking angels, which in some manner they were.

"We should explain to them Tessa." Magnus said.

"Where's Simon?" He wanted to know, she remembered and he had been so nice to her that for some reason she felt like she owed it to him but also it was comforting when he was around, she could see why Clary was best friends with him and she became slightly envious. It would be nice to have a best friend, she thought not counting Jem and Will in the equation when things were too dangerous and easily broken.

"He had to go home, this is hallowed ground." Clary said, "Usually he waits outside but who knows how long we'll be now."

"He waits for all that time?" She saw Magnus sigh as he realised that she was putting off the conversation about Jem.

"He has forever." Isabelle shrugged as if the sentiment meant nothing. Those few minutes waiting outside of a church really did mean nothing when you had the rest of time stretched in front of you, but still she felt sorry for him.

"We need to tell them, don't be unfair Tessa." Magnus said, gesturing for her to explain.

"You think this is unfair on them, have you seen Jem in the past few minutes? I couldn't think of anything more unfair than being tortured in front of your parents and forced to live a life where making yourself healthy will kill you long before you deserve to die. That's unfair Magnus." She touched her angel for comfort, suddenly ashamed by her short outburst. "What did you do?"

"I'll explain everything," He said, "Leave it to me Miss. Gray." She scowled at him, unused to being addressed formally. He recoiled from her, letting her walk ahead of him. "It's just not my day today, hurry along Tessa."

Jem reached for the wooden box that had been temporarily placed on the mantelpiece to keep his drug safe in the time that they were here. Will watched him reach for hit but grabbed his wrist, stopping him from harming himself even more, he was scared of the side effects of, it was affecting the both of them. He let go of Jem's wrist, returning his hand to his other forearm where his parabatai rune shined and distorted.

"Will, I need it." Jem pleaded, Will could hear the desperation in his voice and the setting sun made his skin as thin as parchment. He remembered when he had first met Jem, he hadn't believed that the boy was dying. _You're not really dying are you? _He had asked him, he was foolish but he was just a child, he didn't want to face the fact that his new friend wouldn't be around forever. But then he still didn't want to think that. But he chuckled slightly at the image of the two of them, at twelve years old, wrecking havoc in the institute, drawing their first runes and learning to live their lives without their family and learning to think of this as their new one. But Will had Cecily now. He felt a pull in his heart for his youngest sister, she must be worried where I am, he thought. "What are you laughing at?"

"I just remembered the time when we first met, I was adamant that this illness wasn't real."

"I remember."

"I miss that," he said, "I miss everything before Mortmain, before the very menacing army of automatons were after your fiancée."

Tessa will be married to Jem. He turned around, the corners of his eyes stinging and his palms sweating. She made her decision and it wasn't me, it wasn't me so shut up, he told himself, ashamed for being distraught at the thought of their marriage.

"You're still happy though Will, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." He smiled, hoping to cover up the lie.


	11. Chapter 11

"So," Jem said, eyeing the box that sat on the mantelpiece, the box was plain with a DULL silver clasp at the front, sealing the powder away; Jem was grateful that it was like this. For that was what it was, it wasn't some miracle drug that would save him, it didn't deserve a nice box like the one he had in London, he didn't want his death to be glorified and he didn't want his killer to be glorified either. "You never told me why we left, we were all having a perfectly nice time, I don't see the problem."

Will stood up; he strode over to the window that overlooked the looming skyline of the city that terrified Will. "Your drug, that's not-" He stopped, stuttering. Jem was surprised, Will was never without words.

"William?"

"Magnus got mixed up, he has given you the wrong one, that's not yin fen." He said bluntly pushing his shock of dark hair back from his eyes, drops of sweat trickling down his forehead.

"Then what is this?" Jem said looking in disgust at the box on the mantelpiece, pointing a thing finger at it limply, he felt a lump in his throat begin to form and he swallowed, why was he crying again?

"I don't know Jem, I'm sorry, we'll fix it. I promise you." He said desperately avoiding his gaze. Jem sat down where his parabatai had been seated, putting his face in his hands. He wasn't upset at Will, or Magnus for that matter, he was ashamed of himself. That he was so reliant on the drug that he had caused this much trouble and worry for Will, he felt sick. He remembered Tessa. She mustn't know, he thought, her gentle face flickering in his mind.

"Tessa, she doesn't know, does she?" His voice was pleading.

"No." Will sighed, Jem noticed his hands clench into fists at his sides. "At least, I don't think so. She knows something is going one but not the specifics." He moved his hand to hold his forearm, over his parabatai rune, which Jem knew was placed there. He moved his thin hand to his own replicating Will's movements wondering why his attention was suddenly drawn there.

He felt his chest lurch, something from inside of him rumbling up inside and clawing to get out, it shook his bones and he wretched, a series of coughs erupting form his mouth, his body shook forward from the force of them and he pressed his mouth into the crook of his elbow. Will had rushed to his side, his hands on his shoulders and dark matted hair falling in his face. Jem looked at him and moved his arm away, revealing stains of red. "What's happening?" His voice was weak and he tried to wipe his arm to become clean again. Will shook his head, his eyes full of sorrow and the blue covered by a watery front; his cheeks were flushed bright red on his high cheekbones, and sweat left his fringe in clumps against his forehead. He looked panicked.

"Come on," He said, letting go of Jem and grabbing a clean towel from the side, "you should clean yourself up, I'm sure you don't want Tess seeing you covered in blood." He said monotonously, Jem saw a light flash in his eyes like a reflection of the sunlight but outside it had faded to darkness.

"You're right." He said moving towards the bathroom and pushing his own hair out of his face. "But Will?"

"Yes?"

"I'm going to get better, I trust you to help me now even if we have no idea what's happening, I have faith." He said definitely, he didn't know what this drug would do to him and the daunting thought scared him stiff, but he knew Will would help him as he always had and always would do where his illness came into concern. He knew it wasn't just the parabatai oath talking either and he was glad to know that Will cared. Will smiled sadly; he squared his shoulders and turned to leave. "Will?"

"Yes?"

"How in the name of the Angel do I use this thing?" He pointed to the nozzle that came out of the wall behind a plastic curtain with a number of buttons around the base. A few drops of water fell to the bottom of the bath. Will looked in confusion, joining Jem at his side and folding his arms certainly across his chest. "What would Henry do?" Jem asked smiling.

"Blow it up probably, or make us all think we're blind which, by the way, I've still not forgiven him for the last time."

"It was just you who thought you were blind, Will."

"Look, I have never been blind so I have nothing to go off, I MADE AN ASSUMPTION." He patted Jem on the back and left swiftly, leaving Jem alone.

Tessa sat uncomfortable on the plush chairs of the institute, she was fiddling with the material of her skirt moving the soft material over her knees, backwards and forwards. Magnus fussed around her, flicking through various books, hovering around Alec and watching over Clary's shoulder as she worked in her sketchbook, pencil in one hand, and steele gripped in her other. She had prolonged telling the story if Jem, demanding that she should wait for Will, for he knew it better than her anyway. Will would tell it as it was and not bother with the details but as good as she was with words she realized she would get muddled in these situations. She sat quietly instead, letting her mind think absently, well, she tried but she felt the worry creep back and the pang in her chest for the safety of Jem.

Magnus huffed and shut another book closed, dust flying off the cover, she wanted to grab it from him and scorn him for not being careful with the pages but she didn't want to agitate him anymore.

"I'm tired," Isabelle yawned, stretching her long white arms above her head, "How long will this take?"

Tessa was slightly offended; Isabelle had the time to wait. "Give them a minute," Tessa said, "This isn't some silly illness that we're blowing out of proportion it's-"

"It's not demon pox is it?" Jace asked, a smile twitching at the side of his lips, she stared at him. Maybe he was more like Will than she thought, she felt the urge to laugh but suppressed it as the door swung open.

"Did someone say demon pox?" Will asked giddily. Tessa stared at him in awe for a second, he still managed to look decent with his hair in clumps, red eyes and a glowing parabatai rune that shone beneath his sleeve, she wondered if Jem had noticed it. She prayed he hadn't. The mention of the disease that Tessa was still unsure as to why Will was obsessed had made the tension in the room bearable. Jace's eyes lit up at the question, he grinned cunningly.

"I did indeed," Jace said, "Demon pox, oh demon pox-"He began, Tessa laughed now, letting out a giggle.

"Oh how is it acquired? One must go down to the bad-" Will continued, a sly grin on his face, his blue eyes lit up. Tessa was dumbfounded as to why, the only times she saw Will smile, was when he was talking about a disease you get from being promiscuous with a demon.

"Are the two of you serious?" Isabelle asked, her eyebrows rising to her dark hairline."

"One must always be serious where demon pox is concerned." Will sighed, sitting on the table, next to Clary who ignored him completely.

"Have you forgotten that your parabatai is dying?" She asked, her voice contemptuous and she stood up, her hair in strands falling out of its tie, framing her striking face.

"Trust me, I've tried." Will said, his face falling again and his mood cascading from his reverie back to his usual self. Magnus moved next to him and whispered in his ear, Will shook his head. "I'll tell them." He looked at Tessa, their eyes catching, and again she couldn't look away, there was fright in his blue eyes and reluctance in his lips that she watched as they tried to form the words of Jem's story. The table creaked as he moved and a pencil fell to the floor and she noticed that the room had fallen to silence. So he told the story.

He told them everything. She couldn't listen sometimes. Sometimes she tried to direct her mind elsewhere. Sometimes she wanted to listen. It was a short telling of his past but that didn't make it any less excruciating to listen to. He spoke about his parents, the demon, the drug and his imminent death, she wished Will and Jace were singing again. When he had finished Alec and Isabelle were quiet, they sat silently and Tessa could see them processing the information, it flickered behind their eyes.

"So this drug that makes him better is killing him." Alec said, it wasn't a question. But Magnus nodded. "You've given him the wrong one."

"Yes," Magnus sighed, "It could make him better, we-"

"From the looks of things it's making him worse," Tessa said, "What are we going to do?"

Will stood up and picked up Clary's pencil, she ignored him again, "We have to go back."

"Home?"

"No, to the place where we got the wrong drug from and if that doesn't work then yes, we need to get home." Will said, he looked over Clary's shoulder, "What do you say, Warlock, will you take me back?"

"Of course I will, anything I can do to help will be done." He said, pulling his jacket on that was resting on a pile of paper, the top sheet flitted away.

"Don't think I'm not coming with you," Tessa exclaimed, "I'll get a coat, it's gotten cool outside now."

"No Tess-" Will said looking at her desperately, Will liked to do this alone, she knew but she couldn't stay out of the loop, she needed to know, she wanted to see everything so that Jem was safe. So that Will was safe.

"No, Will. You'll have to get over it, I'm coming with you." She said, "It's not up for questioning." She sounded like Charlotte.

She saw Clary stand up behind Will, her eyes were red and the steele was glowing in her hand, she grabbed Will's wrist and pulled up his sleeve. She moved quickly.

"Clary?" Isabelle said warily, moving over to her friend but Jace was at her side in a flash. "Clary what is that?"

"It won't harm you, do you mind Will?" He shook his head and she began to draw, she drew over his glowing rune. The tip of the steele seemed to bring the lines back together, the purple faded to black again with each stoke and Will's jaw was set in a grimace, as it was with every fresh rune that was etched onto his skin. "It's brought the oath back together," Clary ran her hand over the finished pattern, "the drug you gave him was making it deteriorate, it's making everything fall apart, you should go quickly."

"What do you mean?" Tessa asked, she felt her heart pound against her chest so hard that she felt her ribs were about to shatter

"I mean the drug is degenerative, it will break everything until it gets to his heart, firstly severing his connection with Will, but it will kill him."

"How do you know all this?"

"No idea." She sighed.


	12. Chapter 12

Tessa rushed down the hallway, her long skirt blowing out behind her and her hair falling free of its knot. She gathered it together so that her steps were free and she broke in to a run, it was like she was wearing the shadowhunter gear again, like when she did when she trained with Sophie. She missed Sophie, she had come to think of her as one of her closest friends. Not that she had many friends to go off, that though caught her mind as she halted to a stop outside her bedroom door. Could she really class Will and Jem as friends given their situation? She shook her head to herself pushing the door open; it was heavy and she threw her weight against it, falling into the room.

She looked around wildly for a coat, she saw her black overcoat that she had arrived in, the one that sat floor length over her usual dresses, and she knew with this it would look ridiculous but she didn't care, it didn't matter. She threw the familiar material over her shoulders, the heaviness of the cloak soft and comforting on her shoulders, she felt herself relax slightly and unclenched her balled up fists. She returned to the others and walked slowly, on purpose and shutting the door behind her.

"Tess, are you really coming?" It was Will. He stood in front of her looking flustered, his face was damp with sweat and his t-shirt so close to his skin that she could almost trace the shape and curves of his stomach, where his pale skin and runes melted into his strong shoulders, his face. Will looked at her with a look of sad concern. "Tess?"

"Will, I'm confused," Tessa said, "Isn't this drug just the same as his other, they're both killing him, what makes this one different, what makes it dangerous?" She was pleading him for the answers.

"I don't know," His voice became angrier with each syllable, " Tess, just understand that he is dying faster than before. It's killing him quicker and not making him any better, he needs the other one. You know that. This will kill him before the week is out."

She felt her breath catch, she felt as if she had been struck by one of the seraph blades, the air was pulled out of her and the stabbing pain her chest throbbed with each passing breath that filled the silence.

"He needs the yin fen to counteract this one then?"

"I don't know," He said through gritted teeth.

"Will." She sighed, her voice was welling up, she didn't know what was coming over her, the questions poured out of her mouth like the water ran through a tap, she was scared. But most of all she was confused beyond belief; she felt her face screw together as she wondered. Why?

"Just listen to me." He pressed his palms against his eyes, his jaw clenched. He stepped closer to her so that their chests were almost pressed together. She could see the frustration ooze out of him as his heavy breath fell on her face, she refused to move away from him, but then she found herself not wanting to. "It's killing him quicker, more painfully, he needs the other to make him better, or he dies." He counted the points on his fingers. She found the simplicity of the movement frustrating and careless. Like he was counting Jem's life on his fingers.

"I was listening." She continued, "There's no need to speak to me like that."

"I didn't mean it, I'm sorry."

"No you're not. Don't count Jem's death on your hands like it means nothing, because it means everything. _Everything." _She spat. Tessa felt his eyes bore into her own as she looked up at him, she had pressed against him with such a force that made him fall backwards, and he caught himself with the toe of his boot. "I'm going, I know you don't want me to and I know why, but I'm leaving whether you like it or not."

She stormed passed him, brushing shoulders as she went. Herondales were stubborn like that.

The cold breeze whipped around her, pieces of brown hair floating limply around her face, sticking to her eyelashes. The city lights poured down on her, spilling around the streets in flecks of gold and white, she squinted in the brightness of the night sky. Will walked ahead of Magnus and herself, his hands shoved into his pockets and his chin buried in the collar of his jacket. He hadn't spoken to her since before and she couldn't tell whether it was a look of complete arrogance or shame on his face, she hoped it was the latter. Magnus had his hand on the small of her back, guiding her carefully through the bustling cloud of people that seemed to be excavating the area. She knew that the mundane didn't see what they saw and she wondered what they did see. A restaurant? A bank? An abandoned home?

They stopped in front of a grand old building, with tumbling swirls of stone around the double doorway, the handles rusted and the piping a faded gold. She couldn't crane her neck far enough to see the roof and looking upwards made the building look as if it was about to topple onto her. She felt herself fall backwards away from the falling building. But it wasn't really falling, she remembered as she looked back at the doorway and the blacked out windows. She tried to peer inside, for a speck of ever present light but there was nothing, just dark squares and the distant moving of shadows and there was a thick layer of dust on the windowsill. She looked over to Will, remembering what he had once told her. He looked with a determined glare at the building. She followed his eyes and there was a fading sign, it read The Silver Inn. She huffed at the name, and walked towards the door, striding in front of the Shadowhunter.

"Are you coming?" She said impatiently.

"Let me go first," Magnus said, "They are particularly fond of me, I'm quite the legend."

"No. You're the High Warlock of Brooklyn, hardly a legend." Will sighed, letting Magnus passed, a twinkling coat of black glitter appeared as he moved out of the shadow.

"When you've lived for 800 years, you can be anything you want little Shadowhunter." He said with amusement, a smirk plastered on his face.

He opened the door, the handle heavy and hard to twist under his hand but he shoved it open with ease and strode into the room with the power that he believed he had. His head was high, his chin was raised and people turned to look at the open door. He greeted them, they were friendlier than Tessa had expected, they were laughing and joking with each other, gathering drinks from the bar and taking them back to a table of friends or their pack. There were the pale face of the vampires mostly huddled together in the far corner of the room but they were still enthused with the atmosphere of the place, the scruffy haired werewolves sat among the delicate fair folk and whatever else there was. Magnus was the only one of his kind here she noticed.

"Hurry along Tess." Will whispered into her ear, pleased with her hesitation. She felt her shoulders relax as he spoke her name in her ear, his warm breath melting the cold of her exposed neck. He took her by the wrist and led her inside.

It was warm and she shrugged in her heavy coat uncomfortably, people turned their heads to look at her and Will. She noticed some women whisper to each other as he walked by, holding her. Maybe they were staring because he was a Shadowhunter, a myth among the downworlders themselves or maybe just because he was Will. Maybe it was the eyes, Tessa wondered as she watched them observe the room. She did the same, the ceiling was high and fell away into floors of corridors and balconies that people looked over into the bar, it seemed like some sort of hotel. The levels were never ending and as she craned her aching neck she saw a gleaming silver chandelier that reflected the room below and fell floors down with silver chain drapes that hung around hundreds of tiny candles; that flickered as it swayed.

They followed Magnus to a small door at the back of the room, nestled between another taller door and a table of vampires. It's handle was the same silver as the light. She felt apprehension as she approached, she didn't know if she was scared or whether it was the adrenaline that raced through her.

This place reminded her of De Quincy's. She shuddered and felt the sudden desire to turn around and run for the door, she must have turned because Will caught her other wrist, his hands slipped down to hold her fingers lightly. "I know what it looks like," Will said with a sorry look, "We'll be out soon and I promise not to set the place on fire."

She nodded uncertainly as the small door flew open. A small man walked out, he had silver hair and eyes like Jem, he was a race that she didn't recognise and he looked at them with a funny expression as he left. A box hugged closely to his chest.

"Ah, Magnus Bane and what can I do for you?" Tessa didn't see who was speaking as Will had stood in front of her rather protectively. She tried to move around but another vampire pushed her out of his path. She remembered Simon, how was he so different?

"Well, you could give me the right drug, now that would be a start."


End file.
